TIRUMALA: The TTD, which manages the affairs of the Lord Venkateswara temple, has registered a big surge in Hundi collections in the five months of April to August 2019, compared to the same period last year. The offerings of devotees are in cash as well as gold and silver.
The temple administration has netted Rs 497.29 crore through Srivari hundi in the past five months. The collection was Rs 450.54 crore during the corresponding months in 2018-19.
Similarly, gold and silver articles received by the temple administration through Srivari Hundi went up. TTD has received 524 kg of gold and 3,098 kg of silver this year in the April-August period; last year it received 344 kg of gold and 1,128 kg of silver in the same months.
Besides the Hundi collections, all the 11 trusts floated by the temple administration received cumulative donations of Rs 140.46 crore from April to August this year, up from Rs 113.96 crore and Rs 91.91 crore in the corresponding months in 2018-19 and 2017-18.
According to the comparative statement on different activities by TTD, nearly 19,16,752 pilgrims had darshan of the Lord in August 2018, while 24,02,801 pilgrims had darshan in August 2019 where the pilgrims rush was increased to 4,86,049 (a 25.4 per cent increase).
The sale of Laddu prasadam also surged by 37.6 per cent (30,61,422 additional laddus sold) during the month of August 2019 with total sales of 1,12,13,854 laddus as against 81,52,432 laddus in August 2018. Annaprasadam (Food) distribution recorded a 21.7 per cent surge (9,41,367 more servings) with total servings of 52,73,605 as against previous servings of 43,32,238.
The temple administration also served beverages to 27,42,900 pilgrims, while 25,67,200 availed the same in August of the previous year.
The head count under tonsuring was 10,95,656 last month, while the same month in the previous year saw 7,90,749 tonsuring.
The Hundi collection during the last month was Rs 113.7 crore as against the previous record of Rs 84.05 crore. The occupancy ration rate was 104 per cent with total revenue of Rs 6.90 crore as against the previous percentage of 93 with total revenue of 5.98 crore.
TTD EO endowments officer (EO) Anil Kumar Singhal who released the comparative statements to the media that the current financial year has been very exciting, as the gold and silver donations and Srivari Hundi offerings recorded significant growth in Tirumala compared to previous years.
Meanwhile, regarding the pile up of currency coins at the Tirumala temple, the EO maintained that the negotiations of Tirumala Special Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy with various banks had yielded good results in clearing the coin currency bags which have been lying with TTD for several years.
“We are hopeful of clearing all the bags completely by this month end,” Mr Singhal said.
